On efficiency of the ratio estimator

Summary The exact mean square error for the ratio estimator of a finite population total based on simple random sampling without replacement is shown to have an expected value less than that of the variance of the ratio estimator based on Midzuno’s scheme, under a usual super-population model.     

On estimating the mean of the selected normal population under the LINEX loss function

Following Parsian and Farsipour (1999), we consider the problem of estimating the mean of the selected normal population, from two normal populations with unknown means and common known variance, under the LINEX loss function. Some admissibility results for a subclass of equivariant estimators are derived and a sufficient condition for the inadmissibility of an arbitrary equivariant estimator is provided. As a consequence, several of the estimators proposed by Parsian and Farsipour (1999) are shown to be inadmissible and better estimators are obtained. Received January 2001/Revised May 2002     

Trade intensity,country size and corruption

Abstract. Several authors claim to provide evidence that governmental corruption is less severe in countries where trade intensity is higher or populations are smaller. We argue that theory is highly ambiguous on these questions, and demonstrate that empirical links between corruption and trade intensity – or country size, strongly related to trade intensity – are sensitive to sample selection bias. Most available corruption indicators provide ratings only for those countries in which multinational investors have the greatest interest: these tend to include almost all large nations, but among small nations only those that are well-governed. We find that the relationship between corruption and trade intensity disappears, using newer corruption indicators with substantially increased country coverage. Similarly, the relationship between corruption and country size weakens or disappears using samples less subject to selection bias. Received: July 2001 / accepted: April 2002 We thank Anand Swamy and two anonymous referees for helpful comments and suggestions, Paul Schorosch for able research assistance, and Ray Fisman, Roberta Gatti, Aart Kraay, and Shang-jin Wei for kindly providing data. The conclusions of this paper are not intended to represent the views of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent.     

A two-stage stratified Warner’s randomized response model using optimal allocation

This paper applies Kim and Wardes (2004) stratified Warners randomized response model to Mangat and Singhs (1990) two-stage randomized response model. The proposed stratified randomized response model has an optimal allocation and a large gain in precision. Hence, the estimator based on the proposed method is more efficient than Kim and Wardes (2004) and Mangat and Singhs (1990) estimators under the conditions presented in both the case of completely truthful reporting and that of not completely truthful reporting by the respondents.     

美国的城市化进程与现代城市规划联系的解读

回顾了美国城市化的独特发展历程和美国现代城市规划历史,并就二者之间的相互关系进行了探讨,以期对处于转型期的中国城市化发展有所启示和借鉴.     

城市化进程中的产业政策选择

当前我国已进入城市化加速阶段,促进城市化水平的提高应成为制定产业政策的重要出发点.从各产业的比较劳动生产率、国际竞争力和就业吸纳能力等方面入手进行分析,筛选出了若干发展潜力大、就业吸纳能力强的行业;并指出这些行业在我国未来的城市化进程中将起到至关重要的作用,应制定相应的政策加以重点扶持.     

我国城市化危及土地资源持续利用的立法原因探析

随着我国城市化进程的不断加快 ,土地资源供给的有限性与人们对土地资源需求的无限性之间的矛盾日益突显。而在此背景下重新修订公布的《土地管理法》在涉及建设用地需求的无限扩展与农业用地数量的持续下降这两个突出问题上 ,并没有明确政府的职能定位 ,也反映出了相关制度的模糊性。本文就此进行了探讨。     

城市郊区化模式比较与我国的选择——以英美澳日等国为例

英美澳日四个发达国家分布在文化背景不同的四个大陆,其城市化进程的模式不完全相同,尤其是后城市化阶段表现出的特点更加鲜明.对比分析发现,四个国家的城市化进程中在政府政策、城乡关系、不同规模的城市所起的作用等诸多方面存在着差别,英澳日等国的政府在投资、规划以及法律建设等方面的介入发挥着重要作用,而美国则是市场机制起主导作用的城市化模式.发达国家取得的这些经验对于我国的城市发展有非常重要的借鉴意义.     

外在压力与内在激励：老龄化背景下地方政府的财政选择

在人口老龄化背景下,地方政府的财政支出选择存在外在压力和内在激励。在理论分析人口老龄化影响地方财政支出偏好的作用机制基础上,采用中国省级财政数据检验老龄化背景下地方财政选择偏好。研究结果表明：地方政府财政支出是提高社会福利支出的外在压力和增强地方财政可持续性的内在激励的多路径效应结果,这种影响效应具有财政自给率和老龄化程度的非对称性。为了实现地方财政可持续性和有效应对老龄化社会的公众诉求压力,有必要尽快完善地方政府考核体系,完善地方公共支出的需求表达机制,改善当前财政支出责任地方化的状态。     

煤炭资源型城市聚集经济与城市化水平研究

运用可变权系数综合评价模型对2002年中国煤炭资源型城市城市化水平进行测度;基于1999～2002年度煤炭城市面板数据,应用随机效应模型估计煤炭城市聚集经济水平;结果表明,我国煤炭城市城市空间经济结构效率和其城市化水平并不具有正相关性,许多城市化水平相对较高的煤炭城市的聚集经济较差,并没有显示出城市化经济的优势.